What’s You Best Tip for Feeding a Crowd on a Budget?
Who says hosting has to come with a hefty bill?
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All good things must come to an end, and we’ve reached the final day of Hip2Save’s birthday week. We hope you all have had just as much fun as we have! We appreciate each and every one of you for sharing your input in the comments and for being amazing members of our Hip Community. 💗
There’s still time to enter, so be sure to check out the previous giveaway prompts, too —
- What would you buy if you had $25 to spend on Amazon?
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During our birthday giveaway, all you have to do is comment for a chance to win. This format is just like our monthly reader giveaway and makes for some great conversation among our Hip2Save community. The giveaway prompt posts will be going live each day now through Friday, and your comment will get you entered to win that day’s prize. Easy peasy!
Today, we’ve got one $100 Amazon eGift card up for grabs. Comment now through Sunday, June 29th 11:59 PM MT for your chance to win.
We want to hear from you!
Today’s Birthday Giveaway Question:
What’s your best tip for feeding a crowd on a budget?
Share in the comments section below for our Hip community to read. By leaving a comment, you are entering to win a $100 Amazon eGift card!
Entries for this giveaway are now closed.
How to Enter:
- Comment Below: Share your favorite way to feed a crowd on a budget.
- Duration: The commenting entry period starts on Friday, 6/27/25 at 7 AM MT and ends on Sunday, 6/29/25 at 11:59 PM MT.
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Winners will be contacted by Tuesday, July 1st with the details of their Amazon eGift Card.
Here are our Hip team’s favorite ways to feed a crowd on a budget…
“A baked potato bar is always fun, especially since everyone can customize their own! Bags of potatoes are always super inexpensive, then just add bowls of different toppings like cheese, butter, sour cream, chives/green onions, chili, taco meat, etc!” – Erika
“My go to is pasta (typically baked ziti) when I’m feeding a big crowd. It’s SO cheap, easy/quick to make, and you can pre-make it all beforehand, then just heat it up and not be in a rush day of trying to cook. Plus, sides are super easy too. Just grab a few salad kits and a few loaves of garlic bread and you’re good to go! Easy peasy.“ – Liz
“My daughter hosted her church group recently – over 25 kids. I tried putting a bunch of Nathan’s hot dogs in the slow cooker and that worked so well! 🌭 The taste was awesome, and they could dish up as desired with all the toppings. Cheap and so easy/good. I served chips and cut up watermelon, and they loved it.“ – Lina
We can’t wait to hear your brilliant hosting tips to feed a hungry crowd!
Thank you for celebrating our birthday all week long with us! 🎉 Now let’s get back to the deals…
Pot luck. Spiral Ham is super easy
Potluck and spaghetti! Also always buying ingredients that are on sale and in season!
Pulled chicken in the crockpot!
If it is a casual gathering, either family or close friends, then go potluck – each guest brings either a side or dessert, host supplies main (hot dogs/hamburger bought in bulk pack if summer picnic, if wintertime tray of pasta/sauce with meatballs, and a rotisserie chicken. If you’re doing the entire thing, tray of mac & cheese, crockpot of chili, rotisserie chicken, big tossed salad, loaf of crusty bread, homemade sheet cake for dessert.
Big salad and a meatless pasta dish
I would try to make everything at home that you can with the sales and current coupon deals. Think lunch meat sliders, fruit trays, vegetable trays, yogurt bar, chips and dips.
I feel like mine are not very unique but I have done hot dog bar with all the fixings including chili and sauerkraut. Walking tacos feed a lot of people. My easiest and cheapest for a last minute show choir potluck was ham lunch meat on hamburger buns. The kids ate them up and they were the first thing gone.
My husband has football buddies over during the season and they rotate houses to watch the game. We sometimes go to Sam’s, take our insulated grocery shopping bag and order their really good hotdogs and pizza usually it is about 8-10 guys. We order 2 hotdogs per guy and 2 pizzas. While at Sam’s we pick up chips, and dip. We get the drinks that come with the dogs with no ice to prevent them from being watered down and get a couple 2 liters on sale. I usually bake brownies that I get on sale for .99-1.09 a box. Total is usually 35.00 -40.00 for 8-10 men including extras for the dogs. Minimum work for me and paper plate cleanup.
Pulled pork is a great way to feed a crowd. It goes a long way when served as sandwiches. Serve with large pans of macaroni and cheese and watermelon for the perfect meal.
Spaghetti or beanies and weenies
Best to feed a crowd will always be pasta and garlic bread! It’s a hearty meal that warms the soul!!! You can pick any pasta, sauce, and meat on sale, always delicious! Carbs will be a people pleaser!!
A few rotisserie chickens and bag salads are perfect for a quick meal for a group of people you can get a bunch of different salads.
I would then add in a rice dish and baked beans.
Pasta (like baked spaghetti or chicken alfredo) are so easy to make ahead, put in a large serving dish or tray, and serve. They’re cost effective and filling and can be made a little healthier with salads and fruits. Bonus if salad and fruit s come from a backyard garden.
Tacos/nachos and homemade white queso
Pot luck always works and you would be surprised at what people bring!
Plan ahead – buy in sale – when possible cook it yourself
Crockpot meals!
I’ve always taken Keto chicken cordon bleu to my husbands family reunion. It’s a hit and easy to make
Pasta! Baked ziti, lasagna, etc. I also like to serve a big pot of chili with beans when I have a crowd. Provide bowls wil toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.
Lasagna, garlic bread and salad😊
Baked potato bar, taco bar, nacho bar…
We love spaghetti or pulled pork sandwiches.
Make it brunch! Pancakes/waffles, fruit some sausage/bacon and add one u expected item such as a breakfast pizza cut to bite size pieces or the frozen slushes in the coconut shells, or breakfast burritos cut into small portions.
Baked ziti or homemade Sicilian pizzas
Big pan of baked ziti, salad and garlic bread.
Spaghetti
Goulash
Chili
And lots of Garlic Bread
BBQ sandwich….buy Boston butts at .97 or .99 cents a pound. Cook in the crock pot and freeze cooked until your party. You can easily feed 4-6 people per pound. Coleslaw bags from sams 2.12 and kraft dressing. Buns chips and watermelon. Done!
Choose a large one pot meal like chili or spaghetti with possibly a salad. The majority of the ingredients are on the cheaper end, and it is a filling meal without needing a bunch of sides!
I love to have a taco bar, make the taco meat of your choice along with all the toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olives, sour cream, cheeses, rice, and guacamole. Guests can have tacos, taco salad, taco wrap, veggies wrap or a bowl.
Zappa soup (olive garden receipt) and salad🙌bread of course❤️
Something in a crock pot like taco , sloppy Joe pulled chicken or pork sandwiches
Burrito bar with shredded chicken and ground beef soft tortillas and all the extra stuff is very reasonable and has options for everyone keto vegan etc
Just here for the comments bc I am clueless hahaha
I buy ham or a Boston butt when it’s .99/lb. I add simple sides like boiled potatoes, corn and green beans.
My baby shower is this weekend. Unfortunately a lot of people said they will come and now are backing out – so my economic ways of party planning are certainly coming in handy here.
Party favors – $15 giant bag of popcorn from Gordon’s food service. $10 bags from Amazon + stickers that say “thanks for popping by!”
Lunch – $32 sandwich tray from Kroger’s. The pita pocket party platter seems to have the most bang for your buck.
Drinks – I took advantage of Kroger’s $1.99 water bottle sale + $1.49 2 liters
Dessert – 30 cupcakes from Sam’s club come to $16. Much better than other options!
Go for the simple meals with less ingredients,like a simple plan of pulled pork and maybe 2 cheaper sides.
My fam always goes for yellow rice with 3 meats and green bagged salads from Sam’s Club!
We like to have one person make the main course like a ham or roast and everyone else brings a side dish or dessert.
Definitely going with a potluck would be the easiest choice. If I had to cook it all myself, I’d go with spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread or breadsticks.
Pot luck, with host supplying main dish – e.g. Pizza, ham, pasta, chicken, chili, etc.
Are you serving inside or outside? If it’s outside, have very few items that need to be kept cold.
Stay away from heat and serve immediately. One or two items are ok, but you won’t have time to watch them and do last minute prep.
Keep your bread simple, but good. Harps sells very good rolls. Sams sells yeast rolls.
Don’t serve anything you’re making for the first time.
Consider serving some items that start out premade – meatballs from Sams.
If you’re not serving for a real foo foo event, always make mac and cheese, make it yourself, can’t go wrong.
Baked spaghetti in large tin pans, garlic bread loaves, packaged salads with fixings. Garlic bread can be bag of rolls from Sam’s Club rolled in butter and minced garlic. Bake covered in large tin pans. Sam’s has everything for this cheap feast. Dessert is watermelon or pan cakes (strawberry with strawberry icing and sliced strawberries on icing.)
Stick with some quick, yummy, and easy refillable appetizers such as chips & dips, charcuterie boards, and a fruit salad. I’d also do walking tacos!
I always try to pick up pork loins when they are B1G1 and then make pulled pork for sandwiches and make a big salad and brownies that I have stocked up on when the boxes are on sale.
We needed to feed 350 dancers from around the world for our Folkfest. We did a huge taco salad with a twist. Romaine lettuce, black beans, pinto beans &pico de gallo. We had a toppings bar with olives, jalapeños, sour cream, corn, salsa, tortilla chips – way under budget and and the dancers loved it! – no meat is the way to go.
I’m a big fan of shopping my own pantry and trying to use things up. I have a bad habit of going shopping and not using things I already bought. I love using things I already have, like making a big pot of chili out of the cans of beans, jars of salsa, the ground beef I forgot I stuck in the freezer a month ago, the last handful of tortilla chips in the bag that nobody will finish (it’s an amazing thickener for chili)
Getting creative with random stuff from the cupboard is pretty fun! And if you can feed the family, also a great way to save.
Baked potato bar is good for a gluten-free and/or vegetarian option.
Taco/Nacho bar
When I’m feeding a crowd I usually do some kind of pasta dish…. ziti or penne vodka. Pulled chicken in the crock pot is also a good idea. Make a side or a salad and u are all set
Baked Chicken and rice
Buying meat when on sale and then using it with either pasta or rice to spread it out and feed even more!